Yahoo News Exclusive: Hollyoaks star reacts to Laurie and Sinead twist
Note: The following article contains discussion of sexual misconduct that some readers may find upsetting.
Hollyoaks has left fans doubting that Laurie Shelby will face justice for raping his wife Sinead.
Tuesday's E4 first-look episode (May 21) saw Laurie spot an obvious way to discredit Sinead's police statement, realising that she had given them the wrong date for the first assault.
Sinead wasn't entirely truthful about the timing, as she feared that a seemingly-happy family photo taken after the first attack could be used to undermine her. In the process, Sinead accidentally gave a date that Laurie has a clear-cut alibi for, thanks to his camping trip with Sienna Blake.
Digital Spy is publishing special interviews to tie in with the Laurie storyline all this week. Today we hear from Kyle Pryor, who plays the evil villain, for his reaction to the latest episode.
Laurie was extremely smug in the police interview scenes. Were you hoping the audience would be shouting at the TV while watching?
"Yeah, definitely. Laurie is a character who feels like he's infallible. He thinks that, in some way or another, no matter what he's done, he's going to get out of it somehow. My goal always with this character has been to have people shouting at the screen."
Was Laurie shocked when Sinead bravely broke her silence and reported him to the police?
"Yes, that was the one time he lost control. Laurie wants to be the puppet master, but the minute one of those strings breaks away, he loses his manipulative advantage.
"The minute that Sinead reports him and breaks out of this vicious cycle, Laurie is starting to lose control a little bit – but he's determined to regain that power."
We've seen that Sinead has made a mistake with the dates. Is Laurie confident now that he's off the hook?
"Laurie definitely thinks that he's off the hook. As soon as that detail about the date is brought up, he revels in it. He realises once again that he has regained control.
"The minute that something like that happens, especially from a legal perspective, Sinead doesn't have a leg to stand on. She has potentially lied and perverted the course of justice. So Laurie is back in the position that he wants to be in."
Can you give our readers any hope that Laurie will still get his comeuppance in some form?
"I think that it would be very unreasonable to think that there isn't an amount of just desserts coming. The sort of life that Laurie is living sees him try to manipulate and exert control over others. But there's only so much you can control before it spirals out of control and breaks apart, exposing him."
The storyline has been difficult to watch. How has it been to film?
"It's been very challenging in many respects. When you're covering this kind of material, you're doing a lot of long days and intense work, so that can be exhausting in its own way.
"When you're dealing with quite sensitive material, you also really want to do it justice. This is a real thing that people experience. So everyone involved – including myself, Anna [Passey] and Steph [Davis] – have really wanted to honour this storyline and make it as impactful as it can be."
When you joined the show, were you always aware it was leading to a rape storyline?
"Yeah, I was. Part of the reason I wanted to explore it was because it was such a huge departure from the last character that I played on Home and Away. I was really interested in the challenge.
"It's also one of those subjects where if you raise awareness, it can help someone who has gone through it. If it gives them some form of information whereby they can seek help, then that's fantastic.
"The storyline has also explored different types of abuse that may not be immediately obvious. But it is still abuse, and these people need to be brought to justice."
Do you look at the reaction from fans on Twitter or avoid it?
"A bit of both, really. I keep my head down and get stuck into the work. I don't like to be so affected by what people's opinions are, because I have my ideas about how I want to play the character and what I want to achieve.
"However, there have been some really great comments in regards to how I'm playing the character of Laurie. People have been commenting on how it's a big departure from my last character – it's been two extremes. I've had some great feedback in that regard.
"There has also been feedback from people who have been affected by situations like this. They've said: 'I've experienced something similar. The way you guys have been playing it has been very effective and impactful and respectful. You've given it justice, the best you can'."
Do you get a hard time when you're out in public?
"I have a really good collection of baseball caps, so I haven't found myself with any problems! (Laughs.) But to be honest, I'm at work most of the time, so I'm not really out and about all that often. I haven't really had too much of that, to be honest. The comments from people have been: 'I love to hate your character'.
"At the end of the day, I want to play a character that's compelling for the audience – someone that you really love to hate. We're in the business of entertainment but with a really strong, clear-cut message.
"It's nice if we can take the audience on a ride and they enjoy the journey of the character, while also understanding that someone like this needs to be brought to justice."
Laurie doesn't fit the usual stereotype of what people might expect a rapist to look and behave like. Do you think it's been important to show that too?
"Yeah, I think it breaks the paradigm of what you imagine someone like that could be. I think these things happen across all walks of life and in various situations under different guises. These people do exist, and again, if we can raise awareness around that particular subject, then that's a great thing for me to be able to play.
"I'm so lucky to have the opportunity to play it and to challenge people's understanding of the subject matter. This can happen to anyone and it's good to show people that."
Do you find it easy to switch off after playing these scenes?
"No, it can be difficult. You do need to decompress a bit. I do yoga, I go to the gym and I go for a surf in Wales when I can. I also read books, or anything I can do where I can catch up with friends. I do all of that because having such heavy material can saturate things.
"It's nice to get out into nature and to do something that clears your mind – and to make sure that when you go home, you stay level-headed."
Laurie doesn't seem like a character who can stay in the show forever. What would you like your future to hold?
"Ooh, that's a really good question. A three-picture deal would be kind of nice. (Laughs.) I'm not sure, to be honest, but I'm going to start auditioning in the UK.
"As long as I'm playing an interesting character that stretches me, challenges me and helps me grow as an actor, that's what I'm all about, really. It doesn't need to be a huge project. If I'm going in a direction where I'm expanding my skill-base, learning and working with like-minded individuals, that's fantastic. That's what the plan is – exploring new characters and evolving through the process."
Hollyoaks airs weeknights at 6.30pm on Channel 4, with first look screenings at 7pm on E4.
Rape Crisis England and Wales works towards the elimination of all forms of sexual violence and sexual misconduct. If you’ve been affected by the issues raised in this story, you can access more information on their website or by calling the National Rape Crisis Helpline on 0808 802 9999. Rape Crisis Scotland’s helpline number is 08088 01 03 02.
Readers in the US are encouraged to contact RAINN, or the National Sexual Assault Hotline on 800-656-4673.
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